Getting around

By air — Brindisi (Salento)

The nearest airport is Brindisi’s Salento airport, about 40 km and under an hour away, with a good range of European routes; Bari’s larger airport is about two hours north. For long-haul you’ll route through Bari, Rome, or a European hub.

From the airport into town

A direct airport coach (the Pugliairbus) runs from Brindisi airport to Lecce in around 40 minutes, or you can take the shuttle to Brindisi station and a train on.

By train

Lecce's station is the southern terminus of the main Adriatic line, Brindisi is about 30 minutes north, Bari about an hour and a half, and it's also the hub of the Ferrovie Sud Est regional railway that reaches out to the Salento towns and both coasts (times below).

On foot

The historic centre is flat, compact, and made for walking: the baroque churches, Piazza Sant'Oronzo, and the honey-stone lanes are all an easy stroll apart. Most central daily life happens on foot.

Buses and trolleybuses (SGM)

Lecce’s local network is run by SGM and includes electric trolleybuses as well as ordinary buses. A single ride is €1.20, valid 60 minutes (SGM, 2026).

The Salento railway (Ferrovie Sud Est)

From Lecce, the Ferrovie Sud Est regional trains reach out across the Salento, to Otranto, Gallipoli, Maglie and the coastal towns, a genuine way to get to the beaches without a car in season.

Intercity buses (FlixBus and Itabus)

A budget option for other cities, on FlixBus and Itabus. On the main line the train is usually faster, but the coach can win on price or reach places the train serves awkwardly.

A note on driving

Lecce's baroque centre has a ZTL (limited-traffic zone) and tight parking, so a car is a burden in the core. But it earns its keep for the Salento, the beaches of the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, Otranto, Gallipoli, and the whitewashed towns, which reward having your own wheels, especially out of season.